Flower of Babyon

I’ll admit it. I wanted a piece of my friend’s passion flower vine simply for its evocative common name (and the possibility of harvesting a passion fruit). I was disappointed to later learn that “passion” referred to the Passion of Christ, not some aphrodisiacal quality of the flower. However, if the flower reminds me of any biblical figure, it would be the illustration of the Harlot of Babylon I remember from My Book of Bible Stories. She was pictured as a heavily-made up woman with wild red locks and a revealing, flowing purple dress. She was dripping with gold jewelry and holding the leash of a viciously snarling, multi-headed, horned dog. To me, she represented power and beauty. Honestly, I wanted to be the Harlot of Babylon when I grew up.

Passiflora is similarly beautiful and powerful. The flowers are strikingly intricate. The decadent fringe (representative of the crown of thorns) resembles wildly colored false eyelashes. The undulating purple stripes remind me of the lights in a pumping discotheque. You may use your own imagination as to what the swollen, upright stigma and pendulous stamens resemble. The bees agree that this is one sexy flower.

The vine itself is extremely vigorous. In its second year, my vine is busily devouring a rose bush, zebra grass, and a fence. (I’m moving it to a better location this fall.) I received my start from a friend who has to mow religiously (pun?) along her fence line to keep suckers at bay. I’m willing to donate my suckers (when they appear) to any plant swappers brave enough to take this lady on.

I am not the first to take a sacrilegious slant on Christ’s flower. In Japan, the flower is a symbol for homosexual youths. I suppose we’re all going to hell. I’ll be there wearing my purple dress and a maypop tucked behind one ear.

Paghat’s Garden website contains a nice article on Passion Flower Symbolism, from religious to profane.